Ralph b



PatentedJu ly 26, I898.

n. B. H'AIN. IGNITER FOR GAS ENGINES.

(Ap plicat iun filed Apr. 8, 1896.)

(No Model.)

Rah Ex Acdm.

RALPH B. IIAIN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MONITOR VAPORENGINE AND POWER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

lGN-ITER FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,992, dated u1y26,1898. Application filed April 8, 1896- Serial No. 536,741. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH B. HAIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters forCombustible-Vapor Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in anigniter for combustible-vaporengines; and its object is to provide the same with certain new anduseful features hereinafter more fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1 1 ofFig. 3 of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an elevation of thesame; Fig.'

3, a plan view of the same, and Fig. 4 a detail of the divided yoke-arm.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A represents a portion of the cylinder of the engine; B, thefiring-chamber, opening into said cylinder; 0, the intake-passage forthe charge; D, the intake-check; E, a portion of the crank-shaft of theengine.

F is a cam-wheel to operate the movable electrode and provided with aneccentric portion of its surface F for gradually closing the circuit andan abrupt shoulder F for suddenly breaking said circuit. G is a wheeltraversing the surface of said cam and having an axle I journaled in thearms of a yoke II on the end of the longitudinally-movable rod L.

J is a longitudinally; divided yoke arm having its parts secured by asuitable bolt and pivoted at one end to the stud K, fixed upon any partof the engine-frame. Said divided yoke has its movable end embracing theyoke II and journaled upon the outside of the bearings of the axle I andconcentric therewith. This arm J extends in the plane of the cam wheeland at substantially a tangent therewith, whereby the wheel Gr is keptin place upon the cam-wheel F and free to rise and fall in traversingits surface. Surrounding the rod L is a coiled spring L to force saidrod toward the cam F and hold the wheel G in contact with the same.

M is a cap removabl y attached to the chamber B and overhanging the sameat M, through which overhanging portion said rod L passes.

N is a fixed electrode, preferably L-shaped, extending within thechamber B and passing through the cap M, being provided with abinding-post N at its outer end and insulated from the cap N by anysuitable material 0.

P is 'a movable electrode consisting of a cylindrical body passingthrough said cap and longitudinally movable therein, engaging the fixedelectrode N at its inner end, and provided near its outer end with agroove P, which groove is engaged by the forked end Q of an arm Q, whicharm is pivoted at its other end Q and engaged near said pivot by theendof the rod L.

R is a spring having one end engaging the outer end of the electrode Pand secured at the other end to the projecting portion of the cap M,which provides a fixed support there for by means of the binding-post S,to which post is attached one end of any suitable electric circuit, theother end of said circuit being secured to the binding-post N.

The operation of my device is as follows: The cam-wheel F turns in thedirection indicated by the arrows and is so adjusted on the shaft thatthe shoulder F will suddenly raise the Wheel G, rod L, arm Q, andelectrode P at the proper time, producing a spark by breaking thecircuit and thus firing the charge in the chamber B. This movement beingpositive will always occur on time. The eccentric surface F of the camthen permits the wheel G to return gradually, thus restoring the contactof the electrodes P and M without hammering and marring the point of theelectrode P.

It is difficult to maintain electrical contact in parts exposed to heatand consequent cor rosion. The same is true of moving parts that requireto be oiled. I avoid this dilficulty by taking the current through thespring It, having a sliding contact with the outer end of the electrodeP, at a distance from the fire and requiring no oiling, the sliding movement being just sufficient to keep the parts free from corrosion andworn bright. By the described construction the parts are also renderedeasily accessible. By turning the spring R to one side the electrode Pcan be removed from the cap and again replaced, the forked end Q" of thearm Q being readily disengaged from the groove P. By removing thecapscreWs the cap M is readily detached from the balance of thestructure, the valve D then being readily accessible for removal orrepairing, as is also the fixed electrode N.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In acombustible-vapor engine, the combination with the electrodes, one ofwhich is fixed and the other movable longitudinally toward and from thesame, of a spring, forming part of the electric circuit and bearing atone end upon' the outer end of the movable electrode, said spring beingsecured to a fixed part of the engine and operating to press saidmovable electrode yieldingly toward the fixed electrode and slidingthereupon, for the purpose specified, an arm pivoted at one extremity toa fixed part of the engine and having its other end secured to saidmovable electrode, and a longitudinally-movable rod engaging said armbetween the pivot thereof and the movable electrode and operating thesame to break the circuit, substantially as described.

2. In an igniter for combustible-vapor engines, a fixed electrode, and amovable electrode having a groove near its outer end, a spring engagingthe outer end of said electrode, a pivoted arm engaging said groove, 2.rod engaging said arm, and a cam-wheel and spring operating said rod,substantially as described.

3. In an igniter for combustible-vapor engines, an insulated electrodeextending through the cap of the combustion-chamber,

a longitudinally-movable electrode extending through said cap, andhaving an annular groove near its outer end, a pivoted arm, having aforked end engaging said groove, and a spring engaging the end of saidmovable electrode, and movable laterally to disengage the same,substantially as described.

4:. In an igniter for combustible-vapor engines, in combination with acombustionchamber, an intake-passage beneath the same, an intake-valvein the bottom of said chamber, a removable cap on the top of saidchamber, a fixed insulated electrode in said cap, alongitudinally-movable electrode in said cap, and a spring engaging theend of said movable electrode and laterally movable to disengage thesame, a pivoted arm having a forked end engaging a groove in saidelectrode,whereby said parts are readily detached, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a combustible-vapor engine, a combustion-chamber, an intake-valvein the bottom of the same, a cap closing the top of the same, a fixedinsulated electrode passing through said cap, and having a binding-post,a longitudinally-movable electrode passing through said cap, a pivotedarm engaging a groove in the movable electrode, aspring engaging theouter end of said electrode, and slidable thereon, a binding-postsecuring said spring, an electric circuit connected to said posts, a rodengaging the pivoted arm and a cam-wheel to operate said rod, and havinga shoulder to suddenly open the circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

RALPH B. IIAIN.

Witnesses:

LUTHER V. MOULTON, LEWIS E. FLANDERS.

